


This Sweet Way of Life

by anotherbuskitten



Category: A-Babies Vs. X-Babies, Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Messing About With Canons, Not Really Compliant With Anything, SHIELD Agent Bucky Barnes, The Chapters Do Get Longer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-04-14 18:18:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4574883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherbuskitten/pseuds/anotherbuskitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A merging of MCU up to Avengers and A-Babies vs. X-Babies with bits and pieces thrown in from 616.</p><p>When Bucky leaves for the army he gives Steve Bucky Bear to look after. Despite the outcome against the X-Babies, Bucky does not return from the war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a oneshot which is why the sections/chapters start off so small. It got longer than I like writing oneshots though so I went back and fenced bits off.
> 
> I'm a bit loose on all canons because I tend not to research into things that aren't stated in the main storyline.
> 
> This was originally supposed to focus mostly on Steve but then I realised how hard it was to write from a primarily hopeful outlook.
> 
> Also, while I've nothing against Coulson, he will be remaining dead in this. This is mostly because I can't write him and partly - for plot reasons - because MCU Fury and 616 Fury are coexisting and 616 doesn't have the same attachment. (And I never watched AOS so I can't incorporate any of that in.)
> 
> Oh, and the title's from I Just Came Back From A War by Darryl Worley
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

When Bucky Bear is stolen by Scott Summers Steve is terrified for the first time in his life but he can’t let it show.

/

_“See, as long as you take care of the bear nothing bad can happen to me.”_

_Steve sniffed and looked up at his long-time babysitter hopefully; the bear was soft brown and wearing a red and blue outfit that looked nothing like the khaki suit Bucky was wearing._

_“What’s his name?”_

_Bucky grinned, “He’s me isn’t he? His name’s Bucky Bear.”_

_Steve giggled, “Your name’s not Bear.” He reached out for Bucky Bear._

_Bucky laughed back, “Well I’m not a bear, am I?” He ruffled Steve’s hair._

_Steve clutched the bear tightly, already feeling a little better, except…_

_“Why can’t I go with you?” He forced his eyes wide, desperate not to look like a baby in front of Bucky._

_“Well you’ve got to protect the town, haven’t you?” Bucky smiled at him. Steve jutted out his bottom lip stubbornly. “Well fine,” Bucky said softly, ruffling his hair some more, “I’ll tell you a secret: the army’s got a height restriction.”_

_Steve opened his mouth to protest this unjustness._

_“But I’m gonna work on changing that, don’t worry. I’m gonna tell them all about my buddy Steve and what a good fighter you are and then they’ll change their minds.”_

_Steve considered this. It seemed fair. He looked from Bucky to Bucky Bear and made up his mind. He threw himself into to Bucky for a hug, and once he was safely nestled in the strong arms, mumbled into his shoulder so only the two Bucky’s could hear. “Ok. But when you come back I’m going to fight with you.”_

/

It is two weeks after the battle that they receive the news that Bucky – the real Bucky – has been taken by enemy forces and is most likely dead.

Steve doesn’t understand how this could have happened; they got Bucky Bear back, so Bucky can’t be in trouble, can he?

/

It takes a long time for Steve to believe in anything after that and Bucky never does come home.

/

He’s going off to college and packing his things for the last time when he catches sight of the worn bear; peeking out from behind a stack of chemistry books from a moment of weakness while studying.

Its fur’s no longer lush and thick but tatty and bristly. There’s a tear in the left shoulder from where Clint’s dog had chewed too hard when he was thirteen. He’d stubbornly refused to fix it because he thought it was too childish.

And anyway, it’s not like it would have helped Bucky to do so.

He picks the bear up; it seems comically small in his hands. Tears prick at his eyes. He sets it down softly on the bed and leaves the room.

It takes a few minutes but he finds what he’s looking for; a needle and thread.

With not quite even stitches he slowly pulls the bears arm back together. Part of him would love to have Bucky Bear with him at college – he’s not a thirteen year old pretending to be a twenty year old anymore, but neither is he a toddler who believes that the bear and the man are linked.

Still it’s Bucky and he can’t abandon him now can he? Especially after he’s finally shown him affection. That would be rude.

/

Somewhere else, quite far from Steve’s home town, a small group of soldiers are being pulled from the wreckage of a bomb site. None of them should be alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky coughed and rolled over, burrowing into the warmth hopefully. Then he blinked and reassessed; he shouldn’t be warm, or comfortable or even alive.

Not if things had worked. He swallowed queasily and tried to sit up. His arm strained against a thin, wiry material and he finally allowed his prison to filter into existence.

It was clean and empty except for him, which immediately ruled out Hydra from the potential captors. The walls were grey, as was the floor, ceiling and single door.

The bed had a duvet – thin but warmer than anything he was used to, and a pillow made of something other than clothes too battered to wear. Whoever had him this time weren’t trying to unsettle him with pain.

It didn’t mean anything.

He strained his ears for sound but came to the conclusion that the room was soundproofed. There was a camera in one corner, light blinking to prove he was being watched.

He stared at it for a few moments, considering his options. Given time he could probably break free of the strap but it was harder when he had no way of bracing himself and anyway he wanted answers more than freedom.

“Can we talk?” His voice came out scratchy and weak, scraped out of his throat by bears with chainsaws for claws.

In the minutes before someone came to the door the pain started to grow back. The numb, disconnected feeling he’d had since he woke up was gone replaced by an unmanageable pain similar to that of having major surgery done while conscious. He knows.

The door opened. A tall white man with an eyepatch stood before him.

“Hello Sergeant Barnes. It’s good to see you awake, we were beginning to worry that only your bodies were still living.”

Bucky tried to make sense of this but failed and instead held on to two things. One: that the man had an American accent and two: that he had said _bodies_ and not just body.

“Where are the others?”

“In cells of their own, Sergeant. Due to the amount of damage you all survived we were uneasy to put you too close to each other.”

“Damage?” He croaked out warily.

The man nodded seriously. “You were found in a small crater Sergeant. It appeared to be the centre of the explosion. Could you explain what happened and how you are still alive?”

Bucky blinked and then grinned triumphantly. “The explosion was deliberate on our part. I’m surprised it worked considering the materials we used. I don’t know how exactly we survived but I’ve no doubt that your blood samples will give you some useful information.”

The man stared him down for a few long minutes while Bucky silently cheered his team on in his head.

“You seem unusually forthcoming for a prisoner. How do I know you aren’t feeding me a pack of lies?”

Bucky shrugged, “You don’t I suppose. I don’t think I’ve said anything you didn’t already know though. And I’m telling the truth because there’s a possibility you are as well and you really do have my friends.” He glared as fiercely as he was able.

The seconds ticked by tensely.

“Good answer. Welcome to SHIELD Sergeant Barnes. I’m Director Nick Fury.”

He left. The door swung behind him but didn’t fully close; through it Bucky could see another man standing guard and a long expanse of corridor.

He allowed himself to relax back into the bed. He smiled. SHIELD. Home free.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve had been approached on the street one day by what appeared to be a man-in-black. Weird.

He got in the car though. School was dull and being kidnapped sounded like a fun way to start the day.

When they reached their destination (a grey shopfront in a grey street) Steve had been shocked by the familiar faces before him.

People he’d grown up with. Most of whom he was still in touch with.

Tony Stark.

Bruce Banner.

Donald Blake.

Natasha Romanoff.

Clint Barton.

Marcus Johnson.

Behind them stood an unfamiliar man who, aside from the skin colour and hair, bore an astounding resemblance to Marcus. Though that could just be the eyepatch.

The car drove off leaving him stranded and caught between an unexpected happiness and a strong sense of unease.

/

SHIELD is fun in a way college isn’t and dangerous in a way real life isn’t.

Steve’s still thinking of it as a game up until Tony gets injured.

The doctor who kicks them out of the medical bay tells them she’s operated on worse injuries but it doesn’t stop them from pressing themselves up against the windows and flagging down anyone who comes out.

Steve feels particularly guilty about this accident; not because he was anywhere near him or because he could have stopped it but because he had become the de facto leader of the team through a process that he presumably missed.

The third time he sees the same agent walk past (later when Clint scolds him on his observation skills he learns it was the fifth time) them he stands up and plants himself in the agent’s way.

“What are you doing?”

The agent gives him an assessing look. He’s got a stripe of white on his wrist marking him as having level 8 clearance; three above Steve’s own. Even with that seniority though he still looks younger than them – he’s still got baby fat on his cheeks and naïve eyes. Steve wonders how many people he fools with them.

He smirks and somehow only adds to the illusion. “My CO’s been on about you since you started here. I wanted to know what the fuss was about.”

“Us?” Steve blinks confusedly, gesturing at his twitchy team.

“Just you.” He shakes his head, grinning. “Maybe I’ll watch you spar one day instead.”

Steve grits his teeth at the tone. “Why me?” He puts as much authority as he can into his voice but the man doesn’t even blink.

“How should I know? What did you do to get recruited?”

Steve opens his mouth – whether to answer or to snap back he isn’t sure but a communicator on the agent’s belt starts crackling and he’s leaving, barely waiting to throw a wave over his shoulder at Steve.

/

The meeting prays on Steve’s mind for a while before it’s forgotten in the wake of Tony’s experiments with his new chest plate and school work and also ents.

Though apparently calling them that wasn’t allowed in his reports.

But then he runs, literally, into the same agent outside his favourite art store. He shoots him a suspicious look but does nothing except walk home a tip faster than usual.

The agent matches his pace easily and Steve finds himself unwilling to speed up purely out of spite. He refuses to speak first, instead.

“I heard your friend healed up well.”

Steve waits a few beats before nodding curtly. He considers the white band – conspicuously absent in civilian form and says –

“The doctor said she’d fixed worse injuries.”

The agent hums. “My CO had an arm sewn on once so he could pass better in a crowd.”

Steve pauses on the path and furrows his eyebrows. “Did that…work?”

“No.” His chaperone snorts, “He’s got a prosthetic now but that was – a while ago.”

They were almost at Steve’s house now. The agent veered off course. “I’d best be going. It was nice talking to you.”


	4. Chapter 4

SHIELD quarters were thin and dusty. Toro drops his cap on the floor and kicks the door shut behind him.

“Buck?” He calls through the divide into the bedroom.

There’s a muffled confirmation and a thud.

“I saw your friend today.”

“Who?” Bucky sticks his head through the door. A long burn stretches down the side of his face, an injury that wasn’t there this morning when they parted ways.

Toro stares at it for a long while before shrugging off his coat and switching the kettle on. “Rogers. How’d you get that?”

“Carter made me die again.” He says stiffly. “Could’ve used your help.”

Toro carefully focusses on the hissing of the kettle and far too casually reaches across to touch the burn. Bucky stills but doesn’t move away; he’s used, by now, to Toro’s attempts at stealing fire.

The kettle stops hissing suddenly and they move apart, bustling around the small area to gather what nourishment they can find.

Toro considers saying something but can’t think of anything new to add to the old conversation.

Bucky waits until they’re sitting on the lower bunk with their drinks before speaking.

“What about Rogers?” He spills some of his drink settling into a comfortable position.

Toro takes his time to answer, considering Bucky’s eyes flitting restlessly and his slightly too eager sip of the drink.

“He seems happy. Content at any rate.”

Bucky lets out a long sigh. His coffee ripples in front of him.

“He was buying art equipment.” Toro continues, “He doesn’t trust me.”

“Would you?” Their eyes meet for the first time. Toro shakes his head.

“Not really. Do you ever wish –?”

He cuts himself off and looks at the wall. Bucky knows what he was going to say anyway.

Of the eight prisoners to survive their homebuilt explosion they were the only two to remain three years later. The others had fallen quickly, in succession, desperate to be free of life. Neither Toro nor Bucky understood why they hadn’t followed yet.

The coffee’s long cold before either speaks again.

/

Carter batters down their door in the morning.

The lower bunk’s Bucky’s so he’s the one to open the door to her.

She’s fiercely unimpressed with how tired he looks but she does spare a brief concerned glance to his neck.

“Is it aliens?” He asks drowsily, stepping aside so she can wait inside.

“Is it ever aliens?” There’s no bite to her words though and she doesn’t nag while they change.

“I live in eternal hope.” He snipes back as he searches for his socks.

“So that we can be part of a proper secret agency, of course.” Toro puts in cheerily.

Carter rolls her eyes at them both and tosses Toro’s cap to him from where he discarded it the previous evening.

“It’s about Russia.” She says quietly as they check in the solitary mirror for faults.

Bucky freezes, one hand going automatically to check his gun the other closing tight on something struck from view.

Toro forcibly, visibly swallows down his sudden burning urge to fly away, through the ceiling to somewhere far, far from here.

Carter places a hand on each of their arms. Damn her, she knows them too well by now.

“I think it’s only another interview but there’s a chance they’ll want you to go back. I shouldn’t tell you so but I think its better you know in advance.”

“Unlike the top brass.” Bucky snorts, shaking himself back into movement and giving her a sharp sincere smile of thanks as the door swung shut behind them.

/

The aliens attack three quarters of an hour into the briefing. They do want them to go back to Russia – to an empty bomb site that still, three years later, smelt of burning flesh.

Carter volunteers to go with them which is expected but still appreciated and even Fury shoots them an apologetic look or two as the situation’s explained.

When the alarms start blaring and the sky outside fills with dark shapes, the three of them and Fury jump to their feet and hurry away.

“If I were you I’d use this fight to get stuck in medical for a few months.” Fury says on the way out.

Bucky scoffs, but only because it’s difficult to think of Fury as not having conquered his demons.

They split from him when they reach a staircase, Toro dragging Bucky and Carter up the steps until they reach the roof. There’s a weapons block just below the roof that they raid liberally.

The sky is almost fully blackened now and they spare a moment to gaze in awe at the behemoths coating their horizon.

Bucky and Carter aren’t enhanced like Toro – and so many of SHIELD’s recruits are – but they’re both better at hand-to-hand, shooting and strategy than him so it’s more than evened out.

Toro lifts them both off the roof and flies closer to the action. They land on another rooftop, slightly higher than before.

Bucky hunkers into the edge and sets up a sniper rifle.

Carter braces herself against the rooftop, preparing to jump, and Toro leaps off into the fray.

Bucky shoots one of the beasts in a wing so that it veers off course and closer to their building. Carter leaps onto it and starts wrestling it into submission.

Bucky keeps an eye on them as they grapple. He isn’t worried about Carter; she’s more than a match for some alien baddie but he likes to be careful.

He picks off aliens for a while before he finds the place that knocks them straight out of the sky. He turns on his communicator and calls it in.

There’s a flash of movement to his left and he takes his eyes away from the scope for barely a second to check; it’s one of Steve’s – can he still call him Steve? – team being dropped off by a man in a robot suit.

“There’s no point us both being up here.” He calls across, already focussing back on the battle, not bothering to see if the other sniper responded to his call.

There’s silence so he’s hoping the other had enough sense to find a different rooftop at a different scope of the fight.

He hasn’t.

There’s a clanging next to him, so Bucky transfers a fraction of his attention across at the other agent. He shrugs.

“Sorry. My ride left before you spoke.”

Sure enough Bucky can see a red and gold metal suit flying amongst the aliens.

“Bit flashy, isn’t it?”

Bucky supposes he shouldn’t really judge this, not when Toro is equally visible to a naked eye and cutting a slightly more destructive path than the other.

But on the other hand, Toro did not get to pick the colour of his flames.

“Yes!” His new friend says emphatically. “Tony doesn’t really get the concept of stealth.”

Bucky smiles lightly. He packs his things and moves to the other side of the roof. The fight’s mostly focussed in front of his previous position but some stragglers are rounding into other areas of the city.

It takes a while before the other sniper realises why he’s moved.

“Hey! You don’t have to do that.”

He shrugs with his flesh arm, “You sound worried about your team. You’ll want to be able to see them.”

“Don’t you want to see yours?”

It’s kind of him to ask, considering that he hasn’t seen any sign that Bucky has a team at all.

“It isn’t really a situation where that would help.”

“You think I’m being childish?”

“No.” Bucky says quickly, surprised at the accusation, “I think you probably haven’t been on that many missions with them and want to be sure of their position. And that there are more than two of you.”

“Oh.” The agent sighs, “Yeah.”

“My partner’s the guy on fire by the way.” Bucky offers as a weak olive branch. “So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t shoot him.”

The tense atmosphere seems to dissipate a little before they’re both distracted quickly enough by more flying aliens.

In between bouts of shooting they share stories. By the time Agent Barton got a call to ‘Assemble’, whatever that meant, Bucky thinks he could almost consider him a friend.

/

He asks about Barton the next day, in an aside to Fury as they watch Carter argue with the WSC about how they handle things. Of the three of them the largest injury sustained was a large bruise purpling the side of her head.

Toro was too exhausted to move and Bucky had managed to come away completely unscathed. The trip to Russia had been postponed.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other?”

“We shared a roof in the battle.”

“Hmm. He’s damaged from it. Mentally, I mean.”

Bucky grimaces. “He seemed fine yesterday.”

“Everyone’s fine when they’re hitting things.” Fury huffs. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about Raymond?”

“He’s just used a lot of energy. He’ll be fine in a couple of hours.” Toro, at least, Bucky could be certain of.

Fury doesn’t reply.

On the way out of the dark room, Carter still fuming, Fury holds him back.

“Rogers’ lot are a good team. But rough around the edges.”

“No.” Bucky shakes his head. “I’m a coward about this, remember?”

“It’s this or Russia.”

Bucky breathes out angrily. He doesn’t bother glaring, already well aware that he’d lose against his boss, just stares at the floor and concentrates on nothing.

“Think of your partner.” Fury says almost cheerfully; already knowing that he’d agree.

Bucky pulls away and leaves, wishing fiercely that he could think of something else.


	5. Chapter 5

The battle against the chitauri had opened up a whole new world.

Steve had come out of it okay but the rest of his team had been less lucky.

Tony was reeling from a close encounter with death.

Clint was reeling from being brainwashed.

Marcus was reeling from the loss of his closest friend.

Don was reeling from discovering that he was a reincarnated god and his half-brother wanted to destroy the earth.

It had been a long three days.

He’d phoned home this morning. He’d been meaning to for ages but always forgot or put it off because so much of his life was tied up in SHIELD and he wasn’t allowed to talk about it. But he’d seen the news – and he’d seen his team splashed across it.

His parents recognised him from the blurry footage. They said they were proud. That they always knew he’d be a fighter. But was he sure about all this?

What about college?

He felt selfish for it but he couldn’t help but ask himself the same question. His friends had so much trauma to sort through and here he was worrying about school.

But how would he go back now?

Almost unwillingly his eyes strayed to the bookshelf with Bucky Bear sitting on it.

“What would you do Bucky?”

The bear didn’t move. It didn’t matter – he knew what Bucky would do. Bucky had joined the army when he was younger than Steve was now. Bucky would do the right thing.

“Yes.” He says to the bear. “I can do this. Thank you.”

/

Clint stares into the mirror. His eyes are regular Barton Blue; nothing mystic about them. It doesn’t stop everyone agent he passes either flinching back or fingering their weapons.

He leans his head on the glass and breathes out. He hasn’t had a chance to catch his breath since they caught Loki.

He hasn’t had a chance to fight back. To shoot his nightmare even when it was right in front of him.

He hadn’t been allowed to hurt Loki back, not that he had anything remotely similar to what had happened.

But he’d seen Don’s face when he touched that hammer. He’d grown up on the same block as these people – they were closer to him than any family he’d ever had, so what was he to do when he saw a life click back into place behind those eyes?

And what was Don going to do know? Would he go back to fairy-land with Loki?

Was this the end of their team?

Clint wasn’t sure what he’d do without these people by his side.

/

Tony put the phone down again. And picked it up. And put it down.

He wasn’t even sure who it was he was frightened of calling. Pepper and Rhodey were downstairs.

His parents were long dead. His butler was long dead.

His family was made up of metal and wires.

He blinked back tears and flattened his palms against his face. He couldn’t stop shaking.

/

Don – Thor – stared into the cell that held his brother.

His brother.

It still didn’t seem real. None of this seemed real.

He was Donald Blake. He studied neuroscience and Slavic history. He didn’t remember his parents. He was dating Jane Foster.

He was human.

He couldn’t control the skies or move an unmovable object. He couldn’t call down lightning. He couldn’t speak an inhuman tongue.

He couldn’t remember a father casting him out. A mother looking away. An older brother or a younger one.

He couldn’t remember training to swordfight with three boys and one girl who breaks all the rules.

He can’t remember watching the rows of Valkyries marching through golden streets and dreaming of one day reaching Valhalla.

He couldn’t remember trying to read dusty books so he’d have something to discuss with the brother he loved the most.

He couldn’t remember finding the hammer and not being able to lift it.

The first time Odin said he was proud.

The first time Sif beat him in a fight.

The first time Frigga held him.

Tyr showing him how to hold a sword correctly.

Fandral sneaking them mead before a ceremony.

Hogun laughing when he fell off his horse.

Volstagg proposing to Hilde.

Loki’s first word.

Loki’s first spell.

Loki telling him secrets.

Loki fighting alongside him.

He was Don Blake. This was just a story.

He was Thor Odinson. Everything else was a fiction.

/

Marcus stares at the empty desk. It didn’t feel right that a man could disappear so thoroughly from the world so quickly.

Hill comes up behind him and places a stiff hand on his shoulder. He shakes it off – he was less used to receiving comfort than she was to giving it.

“Fury’s found someone to look after your team.”

He stiffens. “A new handler?”

She snorts. “Hardly. A pair of loose cannons who needed something to distract them.”

“Anyone I’ll I’ve heard of?”

“Barnes and Raymond? From the bomb site in Russia?”

He nods, finally looking away from the desk. “Heard of them. Never met them though.”

Hill shrugs. “They’re alright. A bit too focussed on each other but good agents. Fury and Carter both speak highly of them.”

“Well, alright. I suppose we could do worse.”

/

Toro woke with a start.

“Owwww.” He groaned.

“You’re good.” An unknown voice says, “Most people wouldn’t notice me until they woke up.”

He starts suddenly, throwing the covers off and forming a small fire in his hands. He had to hope that it would be enough to deter the intruder because it was taking all his energy to hold it.

“Some not even then.” The voice continues, sounding only amused. He lets the fire flicker out; he can’t muster the energy to fight anyone at the moment.

“I hope you’re not putting that out because I’m a woman.”

“I’m putting it out because I don’t have the energy to keep it up. Do you want anything specific?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Mm.” He rolls over and takes a proper look at her. Red hair, a cut on her cheek, tensed muscles. “Nope.”

Her muscles tense even further. “And you’re not going to ask why I’m here?”

He shrugs; it hurts. “I really can’t be bothered right now. Please don’t tell Fury. Or Bucky for that matter.”

“I don’t know a Bucky.”

“Then what are you doing in here? We’ve already established that you don’t want anything in particular from me.”

“You and your partner have been assigned as tutors in teamwork to my team.”

“What?” He blinks in confusion. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Director Fury told me before I came here.”

“We’re not really the tutoring type. How competent are you already?”

It was her turn to look confused. “We’re good at raw power and ability but our teamwork has led us into trouble a few times already.  We don’t have a solid leader or positions.”

“Well I’m not sure how much use we’ll be for that.” He says sardonically, standing from the bed and making his way over to the coffee machine. “There’s only two of us and Buck’s my senior so he usually takes lead. There’s never been any conflict about it.”

“Never?” She sounds ridiculously surprised by this. “Milk, please.”

He nods. “There used to be eight of us in total and he was in nominally in charge then so I don’t see any reason to fight on it now.”

“Except that you’ve lost six of your men.”

“Four of them offed themselves.” He hands her her coffee and gives a weak smile. “Mannelli’s in a madhouse and Dugan took a bullet meant for Fury.”

She doesn’t reply and he lets himself focus on the heat of the coffee and the cracks in the ceiling.

Their mugs are refilled twice before she picks up the thread of conversation again.

“You were at the battle yesterday.”

“Should I remember you from it?”

“No.”

“Do you want me to talk to Fury about getting you different tutors?”

“What do you want?”

“I’ll tell you when I know the full reason. For now I’m going to trust Buck’s judgement in agreeing.”

“You think Fury asked first?”

“Not for the final decision, but if Bucky opposed it he would have come over here to rant by now.”

She nods and drinks. He waits a few minutes before asking his question again.

She answers with a shake of her head and leaves.


	6. Chapter 6

Bucky had absolutely no desire to explain what had been decided to Toro and even less to talk to any strangers.

Or Steve. Especially not Steve.

He gets Barton’s location out of Agent Hill.

/

Clint stares longingly at the range. He isn’t allowed to shoot until he’s been cleared for active duty and there’s no sign of when that will be.

He hasn’t been able to talk to any of his friends yet but he knows that sooner or later someone – probably Steve – will seek him out.

Someone clears their throat behind him.

He swivels quickly, reaching for his bow, only to remember that it had been confiscated. He relaxes a fraction when he sees that it’s only his sniper buddy from the battle.

Barnes doesn’t wait to re-introduce himself or ask any pleasantries before leaping into a conversation.

“Who was your handler?”

“What?”

“You mentioned him a few times last night though not by name. And I forgot to ask Fury.”

“Why would you ask Fury?”

Barnes’ eyes narrow thoughtfully; Clint appears to have thrown him off guard.

“You don’t know do you?”

“Know what?”

Barnes rolls his eyes. “Fuck’s sake, Nick.” He mutters under his breath.

“What is it?”

“He’s dead.”

“What?” Clint staggers. Barnes moves forward to catch him but instead of releasing his hold once Clint was steady again he forces him into a battle-ready position.

“What have they been teaching you?” He snaps harshly. “You never let your guard down; especially around people you don’t know.”

“You just told me my friend’s dead! How am I supposed to react?” He lashes out wildly, not really expecting to hit anything. Barnes catches his arm easily and bends it away.

Clint relaxes in his grip; suddenly scared. The other agent is also a sniper; he knows exactly how much losing control in his hands would condemn him.

Barnes’ eyes bore into him. Clint tries to remember if any of his stories yesterday involved betrayal.

There’s a noise from behind them. Barnes drops his hold and stands up. Clint grimaces at the implication that he’s less than a threat but can’t actually disagree with it.

There are a crowd of people behind them, most are grinning, some appear to be readying for a fight. He recognises almost none of them and those he does know are all people who’ve been avoiding him. He swallows; he thinks he knows why they’re here.

“What?” Barnes says angrily.

“Well aren’t you going to hurt him some more?” One of them asks.

“Why? I was just proving a point.”

“But he’s a traitor!”

Clint curls into himself. He still aches from the battle, and while Barnes might only have been aiming to warn his actions still hurt. He had been lucky before; with Barnes seemingly unaware of his actions under Loki’s control but if he was about to be informed of them then the best Clint could do was get into a defensive position early. He had no chance of getting past everyone and Barnes had already proven his superiority in combat.

“What did he do?”

A crowd of voices answer the question. Clint tries unsuccessfully to block out his failures.

“He blew up the helicarrier!”

“He turned traitor!”

“He tried to kill Fury!”

“He was working for Loki!”

“STOP!” Barnes growls. The noise ceases. Clint takes a moment to wonder at what his record must be that they’d all obey so quickly.

/

Bucky focusses on the crowd in front of him. He’s never seen so many SHIELD agents united before. It’s quite disconcerting.

His options are limited; he had had no intention of harming Barton outside of a training simulation and the crowd didn’t seem likely to listen to intelligent conversation.

He peeks behind himself. Barton was curled into a ball – probably a wise move under the circumstances – after all, he didn’t know that Bucky wasn’t going to hurt him.

“I hated the helicarrier,” he says before the silence can grow any further, “So I don’t care about that. If everyone who’d ever wanted to shoot Nick was locked up we’d have no agents left. If he was a traitor he wouldn’t be running free. And as for Loki –” He breaks off. He has little patience for betrayal. “Does anyone know why?”

“He was brainwashed.” One agent speaks up from the back of the crowd before another tries to cut him off.

Bucky stills. His left arm whirrs dangerously as he tenses up.

“Much as I want to attack you all right now, I know that we don’t have anyone to spare if you end up off duty and the doctors already have their hands full from the battle. Nonetheless if any of you don’t feel like heeding this warning I will be happy to do so regardless. Anyone stupid enough to fight me over this, you can stay. Everyone else: Leave.”

To his relief they all scatter. He’s gotten lucky with this new assignment and he doesn’t need another black mark on his record.

He turns to Barton, who has unravelled and is staring at him in confusion.

“Come on.” He mutters, extending his flesh arm to the other man. “I need to shoot something.”

“I’m not allowed to shoot yet.”

“Well that’s stupid. If they didn’t trust you they wouldn’t have you wandering around freely.”

“I don’t have any weapons.”

“Stupid,” he repeats, “Under mind control you’ve little concern for your own safety and you don’t hold back from killing those around you. Getting a weapon from another agent would be easy.”

Barton gives a half-smile.

“They took my bow.” Bucky considers this; he doesn’t really think a bow is a practical weapon to be using but Barton wielded it well yesterday and he’s grateful for the lack of questions his speech on brainwashing should have granted.

“You’ll have to lower yourself to a gun.” He snarks back.

Barton gives a theatrical pout but he looks happier when he’s ushered into the range.

/

Toro wakes for the second time at 7pm. He groans at the blinking clock face and mentally prepares himself for a long lecture on oversleeping and being aware of his surroundings.

The two empty mugs in the sink remind him of earlier. The rest of the flat was untouched. Bucky had yet to check back in.

He dresses and leaves quickly, intent on questioning his partner as to how they had gained a babysitting job while he was asleep.

The first agent he comes across tries to skirt away from him when they pass. Toro blocks him quickly.

“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.” He says placating. It seems to do nothing for the agent’s nerves. “You don’t happen to know where Agent Barnes is, do you?”

“He was at the range a couple hours ago.” The agent rushes out, before ducking under his arm and jogging quickly away.

Toro shakes his head and lets him leave. They’re allowed to be nervous after the past few days.

He runs into Rogers on his way up to the range. He looks shaken and nervous and barely registers Toro’s presence.

Toro barely thinks before changing directions and falling into step with him.

“Are you alright?”

Rogers’ visibly startles and shakes himself out of his mood. “I…yes, I’m fine.”

“Don’t look it. Do you want to get a drink?” Bucky could take care of himself, after all.

Rogers’ opens his mouth to answer but Toro doesn’t listen and instead forcibly pulls him off course to the nearest exit.

“I don’t know how much time you’ve spent in the canteen but I’d advise you not to increase it.”

“I was looking for Marcus.” He says slowly.

“I don’t know who that is.” Toro admits cheerfully. “But whatever you were doing you really look like you need a coffee.”

Rogers blinks and nods slowly.

“Were you looking for me?” He asks softly once they’ve found a late closing café. The man behind the counter looks like even wearier than they do. Toro takes pity on him and orders them to go. He tips heavily when they arrive.

They find a bench to rest on. The weather’s warm but the city’s in shambles.

“No.” He replies finally. “I was seeing if I could find James. My CO.” He adds at Rogers’ questioning glance. “Nothing important, just wanted to check up on him and let him know I’m awake.”

“Will he worry?”

“Shouldn’t think so.” Toro shrugs. “If he was he would have stayed by my side all day.” Despite the truthfulness of this answer he turns it into a joke for Rogers.

Rogers smiles a little and sips his drink. “What’s your name?” He asks after swallowing.

Toro blinks in confusion and runs his mind over their previous encounters. It seems he’d forgotten exactly how they met in the first place.

His musing seems to have taken a tad too long because Rogers speaks up again.

“Above my clearance level?”

Toro laughs, “Heh. No I’m not that secret a spy. I just forgot you didn’t know it already. It’s Thomas. Toro to my friends.”

Rogers smiles wider this time, “Should I assume you already know mine then?”

Toro grins sheepishly. “Tell me anyway. Let’s start over.”

Rogers laughs. “Alright. I’m Steve Rogers, nice to meet you Thomas.” He holds out a hand to shake.

Toro grasps it firmly and corrects him. “Toro. We’ve met three times and I’ve yet to want to hit you. That definitely qualifies you for friendship in my book.”


	7. Chapter 7

Loki was returning to Asgard. Don – Thor – was deliberating over whether or not to go with him. He had a family on Asgard, a real one, just like he’d always dreamed of.

He had friends too. Good friends.

Just like his ones on Earth. Midgard.

He wanted Asgard more than he could remember ever wanting anything. But Earth was his home.

Mjolnir rested where he had placed her down after the battle; if he were to hold her again then his memories of being Thor would be sharper than ever. He would _be_ Thor. It would certainly make his choice easier.

He was Don Blake. He might be adopted and orphaned and homeless save for SHIELD but he was real. Even in his own mind Thor was only a story. And no matter how much he wanted a true home he could not forsake this world.

Unless…there were nine realms and the other eight were all in contact. Earth – Midgard – had no such connection. Perhaps there was a way he could keep both his lives.

/

“I hear we have a new mission.” Toro says cheerfully, when, two days after he’d heard the news, he finally locates his friend.

“Did Fury call you in?”

“No,” he drawls, “Someone broke into our bunk to interrogate me.”

Bucky huffs out a laugh. “We should move out.”

Toro blinks. “Whoa, non-sequitur much? Though, yeah, good idea.”

“I just. Sometimes S.H.I.E.L.D can get a bit much.”

“You know I’m not arguing right?”

Bucky looks up at him properly and opens his mouth to apologise but Toro steamrolls past.

“So you’re better with names than me; red hair, kinda terrifying though I can’t pin down why – who is she?”

Bucky purses his lips. “You could have just said it was a she. Natasha Romanov. She’s the only woman on the team.”

“Do I recognise the name?”

“I don’t know, do you?”

“Ha. Ha.”

“She’s a Black Widow.”

Toro blinks wildly and considers trying to school the shock out of his face. He doesn’t. “A real one?”

“Mm. The last one if you listen to the rumours.”

He shakes his head. “I thought Yelena was the last?”

Bucky doesn’t answer. He doesn’t push.

“So when do I get to meet the rest of the team?”

“Soon, I guess. I’ve been putting it off.”

“Any particular reason?”

“Oh. I didn’t say did I? It’s Steve’s team.”

Toro falls silent. He likes Steve Rogers but he’s been thinking of him in terms of civilian instead of agent. It makes the idea of friendship easier.

Bucky continues. “They were the ones mainly fighting the invasion. ‘The Avengers.’”

“Well I’ve met two of them already at least. Who’s left?”

“Four. Barton – sniper, good company,” Bucky begins listing them off on his fingers, “Banner – rage monster and scientist, Stark – I assume you’ve heard something about him, and Blake – apparently a god.”

“Weird line-up. Sounds like they’ve got a range of talents though.” He stretches half-heartedly, “Romanov said they’re alright as far as power goes it’s just the leadership that’s causing issues.”

Bucky hums contemplatively. “We can go round them up if you like?”

Toro nods and pretends not to notice the way his friend shakes at the idea of seeing Rogers again.

/

“You said _what_ to him?” Toro leant against a wall and snickered into his hands. Bucky was relaying his interactions with Barton and had just mentioned breaking the news of Phil Coulson’s death. They had yet to find any of the Avengers.

“Is it that bad?” Bucky rumpled his eyebrows, “I don’t understand.”

“That’s because you have the same understanding of human emotion as a sea slug.” Toro muttered, still giggling. “Put yourself in his shoes. How would you react?”

“What’s my equivalent?” Bucky says, frowning, “Because our immediate boss is Fury and I can’t say I’d be too upset about his death. I mean I’d mourn him but he’s director of S.H.E.I.L.D. I’m not holding out hope for a retirement party.”

Toro laughed again then considered the options. “I don’t know, maybe Carter?”

Bucky stared levelly at him. “What possible situation is there where Carter’s dead and we’re still around? They’d have to level the whole planet before they got her.”

“Point.” Toro nods and looks around them. The surrounding area is suspiciously empty.

“Right.” Toro said, making a quick decision, “I know the way to Rogers’ home and if he isn’t in then we can go and hang around Stark Tower and wait for someone to scold us for trespass.”

“I feel like there’s something deeply wrong with that idea.”

“But…”

“But I can’t work out what. Let’s go.”

/

The walk to Steve’s home is short and quiet. Toro hums tunelessly and tries to guess at Bucky’s feelings.

“Do you think he’ll recognise me?”

Toro chokes on his hum and splutters for a moment. “I don’t know. You’ve aged since we were sixteen. You’ve aged since we got out, even.”

“You’re no help at all you know.”

“It’s not like the guy’s going to blame you for not coming home.”

Bucky kicks a stone moodily. “I know. I mean logically I know.”

“He was a toddler Buck. I know he meant a lot to you but you shouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“My hopes are very far from up, Toro.”

“Tell me about the others then. Tell me about Romanoff.”

Bucky side-eyes him. “Why her?”

“She just seems young for a Widow, that’s all. The program was disbanded a while ago according to Belova.”

“Yelena’s not the most reliable confident though is she? And she’s very protective of the memories of her … sisters. If there was another one alive she wouldn’t tell SHIELD, would she?”

“I wouldn’t tell SHIELD about an enhanced pigeon if I cared about it let alone a human being.” Toro agrees.

Steve’s apartment was in an ordinary, if a little grungy, stone building. Toro didn’t actually know which one was his so they loitered outside and discussed the shitty security.

“I think this one’s got a broken lock.” Bucky reported gleefully from the top of the last set of stairs.

“Maybe I got it wrong.” Toro said. “Surely SHIELD wouldn’t let one of their assets live _here_?”

“Maybe he wouldn’t move?” Bucky replied, “I can see him growing up prideful.”

“Wouldn’t they upgrade the security at least?”

“Fury’s more likely to guilt him into it, I’d think.”

The realisation hits them at the same time.

“Oh _shit_.” Toro slammed his head into the wall.

Bucky thundered down the stairs to join him. “Stark Tower, then?”

“I hate that building.”

“So does anyone with any sense.”

/

Tony’s home is…well it’s what Steve expected really. Very over-the-top, very futuristic. They’re all there except Don who left for Asgard with his brother.

Loki’s departure had had a SHIELD honour guard watching carefully. Marcus hadn’t come; Steve hasn’t seen him since the battle.

Tony orders sharwma again when it’s over. No one really eats anything though; the atmosphere was too strange now they were missing a teammate.

Natasha stands up. “Have any of you met our new handlers yet?”

Steve starts. He hadn’t known they were getting new handlers, although he supposes it should have been obvious.

“I have.” Clint says quietly. “I shared a roof with him in the battle and he came and found me later. He was the one who told me Phil was dead.” He glares at them all. Steve remembers only then that he had been brainwashed at the time.

“He was nice. I guess. Good shot and the other agents seemed…scared of him.”

“That would be Barnes. I met his partner.” Natasha says, “He said Barnes was the superior.”

Steve flinches. He still thinks of Bucky at the smallest things; he doesn’t know how well he’ll take orders from someone with his name.

“What the other one called, Natasha? The one you met.” Bruce asks softly.

“Something Raymond.”

This time Steve’s flinch is more pronounced. “Thomas? Thomas Raymond?” He says harshly.

Natasha’s brow furrows when she looked at him, and usually he’d feel honoured that she’d show him her emotions but right now he was too busy feeling betrayed.

“It might have been. It does sound right.” She replies, “Do you know him? Steve?”

“Yeah. He’s – do you remember when Tony got hurt and that agent kept coming round and staring at us? That’s him.”

Natasha nods. “That’s right.”

“I met him later – well he followed me home and after the battle he bought me a coffee. He said we were friends.”

Natasha looks at him with pity. He shakes his head at her, “Don’t tell me I was naïve. Not this time.”

“I’ll say it.” Tony snaps. “You’re naïve. What, do you think everyone’s as pure and honest as you? In SHIELD?”

“Tony…” Bruce says, grabbing his sleeve to pull him down.

“Shut up Bruce! Why are we even working with Fury? That man’s probably never told the truth in his life!”

“What about Marcus?” Clint asks loudly. He’s still slouching on the sofa fiddling with his food; he doesn’t look particularly interested in the conversation. “Do we trust him?”

“Of course we don’t.” Natasha snaps. “But I’m not leaving SHIELD; I don’t want to give them any reason to betray me.”

Clint finally joins the rest of them in standing up. “I’m staying with Natasha.”

“Calm down all of you.” Bruce snaps, “None of us are leaving SHIELD; we don’t have the resources to keep doing this if we do. Unless you want to stop?” He’s only asking Tony, Steve sees.

Tony freezes and shakes his head silently. Silently, Steve applauds Bruce’s tactics.

“SIR.” JARVIS says loudly into the sudden silence, making them all jump and look around guiltily. “If I may interrupt there are two men from SHIELD in the lobby. I think perhaps that they are the ones you were discussing.”

“What do they want J?”

“They have only said that they wish to speak with you all or if that is not feasible then with your elected leader.”

“We’ll all go.” Natasha says firmly. No one bothers to argue with her.

The elevator ride down to the lobby is silent.

The two SHIELD agents are slouching by a wall opposite the elevator. As it dings they stand to attention and focus on the Avengers. Or Toro does – Steve tries to catch Barnes’ eyes but the man is refusing to look straight at them.

Toro rolls his eyes and elbows his partner. He raises a hand.

“Hello. I’m Agent Thomas Raymond and this is Agent James Barnes.”

Barnes raises his head and finally looks at them. He looks a little ill. Steve tries to school his expression but fails.

“Bucky…” He whispers.

“As I assume you’re –” His phone rings; sharp and shrill in the metallic room. “I’ll just take this. You want to take over Buck?” He adds in an undertone. Steve swallows.

Barnes – Bucky? – steps closer and picks up where Raymond left off. “Aware, we’ve been assigned as your new handlers. This is less than ideal for everyone involved but you don’t get a choice and we didn’t get a good one. We’ve read your files but it would be helpful for you to tell us your capabilities yourselves as well as what you feel your team needs help with. Unless you’re really pathetic at something this will be a fairly hands-off arrangement. Questions?”

Steve opens his mouth to ask the obvious one but is interrupted by Raymond’s return.

“Questions relating to the subject at hand.” He says cheerfully, dropping his phone into Bucky’s hand and muttering under his breath to him, “You have got to start giving people your number. She says it’s important.”

/

Bucky picks up the phone quickly; thinking he’s dodged a bullet. He expects to hear Carter on the other end but when he raises it to his head he’s assaulted by a stream of Russian. It isn’t Carter.

“<Barnes? Is that you?>”

“<Yelena? What’s going on?>”

“<I heard rumours of a new Red Room. I went back and I saw one of the men you told me about.>”

“<Which one?>” He asks urgently, not caring about the other people in the room; the only people he had been able to warn anyone about were the ones who had been around the commandoes the most. The most dangerous.

“<The one with the red face.>”

“<Schmidt.>” He swears blindly for a moment. “<Yelena, did he see you?>”

“<No. I got away.>” She’s offended but he’s too relieved to care.

“<Thank God. Where are you now? We’ll come…>” He trails off, remembering the team standing behind him.

“<Good. I am still near the old Room.>”

“<Yelena, do you a woman named Natasha Romanoff?>” He asks quickly.

She stifles a gasp. “<How do you know that name?>”

“<She’s a SHIELD agent. Her and her teammates have been assigned to me and Toro.>”

“<No. She was supposed to be safe. She was the last Widow.>”

“<Should we bring them with us? Will the extra hands be useful?>”

“<She was supposed to be safe.>” Yelena snarls. She breathes heavily for a moment. “<I have never met this…Schmidt…bring them if you want.>” She snarls again and hangs up.

Bucky swallows painfully and walks back over to the others.

“Change of plans. We’ve received information about an old enemy from a woman named Yelena Belova.” He watches Romanoff’s face as he says this; and for the first time it hides none of her emotions. “Toro and I will be going to Russia.” He has to force himself to meet Toro’s eyes. “If you are prepared to follow all orders given including the possibility that we will tell you to leave then you may come with us. If not then I will notify Fury that we are taking our second option and you will be assigned someone else. Decide quickly.”

He pulls Toro aside and hands him the phone. “It’s Schmidt.” Toro’s face loses all of its colour. “Can you requisition a plane?”

He nods stiltedly. “Where?”

“The old base.”

Toro closes his eyes briefly. “Right. Right. You need to talk to Rogers.”

Bucky nods. He can’t bring himself to care right now.


	8. Chapter 8

Bucky walks stiffly over to the team and stares at them.

“We are coming with you.” Romanoff speaks first, predictably, but the others all nod along.

He nods once. “Good. It’s reconnaissance for now but there might be trouble so go and get anything you need. Rogers, a word.”

He jerks his head and walks over to a plant without checking if Steve is following.

The plant is plastic and conspicuous in the stark greys and silvers of Stark Tower. It can’t hold his attention for long but despite his distraction this is still a conversation Bucky balks at.

“Bucky? It is you, isn’t it?”

He swallows dryly and nods.

“Hi.”

It’s such a pathetic offering that he laughs at himself. Steve stares blankly while he sobers himself up.

“We – my unit – we only got out a coupla’ years ago. Didn’t think you’d still remember me so I didn’t bother calling.” It’s one of the worst explanations he can give but his throat has gone dry and he can’t think straight.

“Got out of where?” Steve’s voice is hard and quiet. It sounds wrong.

Bucky shakes his head. “HYDRA. They’re called HYDRA. I don’t remember most of it, and Toro even less.”

Steve wrinkles his brow, “Wait – you mean when you went missing in action? That was years ago, decades even!”

“Yeah. Like I said; I didn’t think you’d remember me.”

Steve’s face twists. “I’ve still got that bear you gave me. My neighbour back then – do you remember Scott? – stole him and after we got him back I couldn’t understand why you were still missing.”

Bucky chokes on air. “Still – _Steve,_ ” he moans, “Why?”

“He helps.” Steve says stiffly. “He’s a good bear.”

Bucky stares sadly. He doesn’t bother to hide what he’s feeling.

Neither of them speaks again and eventually Toro comes over and herds them away to get a plane.

/

Steve sits quietly next to Bruce at the back of the plane. His shield rests against his legs.

Bucky is driving the plane. He hasn’t said a word since Steve told him about Bucky Bear.

Steve doesn’t understand how it went wrong. He’d imagined situations where Bucky came home a thousand times before and he’d never thought to be angry at his old friend.

He doesn’t even know what he’s angry about. It’d been twenty-five years since he’d last seen Bucky; it was perfectly understandable for him to expect Steve to have forgotten.

And even apart from that he couldn’t be angry that Bucky hadn’t gotten in touch sooner. If what he said was true – and Steve certainly had no reason to doubt him – then he’d spent the past two decades in enemy territory. It would definitely take time to adjust from that and Steve couldn’t fault him if he wanted to forget his past life.

So Steve couldn’t understand why he felt so mad.

Also flying the plane was Assistant Director Margaret Carter, a woman who had almost as many myths surrounding her as Nick Fury.

Steve hadn’t seen much of her since they got to the plane and saw her sitting in the right pilot’s seat; lips thinner than Steve had ever seen on a human being. She, Bucky and Toro had a hushed argument as the avengers settled into the back of the plane.

He wasn’t sure what the resolution had been since they all seemed equally angry at each other. Toro, who wasn’t piloting, was leaning against a window; eyes blank and full of fire at the same time.

Steve considers going over and talking to him. At least asking for more information on what they’re doing.

He doesn’t.

/

Peggy sighs deeply and shouts for Raymond to take over her side.

“I’ll brief them properly.” She says crisply as he straps down.

The avengers aren’t talking mission strategy like most teams would be in this situation. Romanoff is sitting still as stone in a frontline seat. Barton is next to her and keeps shooting her worried looks.

Raymond said that she was the one who decided they’d be coming.

Stark’s doing something on a tablet. He has a portable suit with him and has somehow produced a martini. She considers shooting it out of his hands.

Banner and Rogers were sitting in silence at the very back of the plane. Rogers looked like somebody had killed his dog. Banner looked like he wished he were anywhere else.

“Alright! Listen up!” She waits until everyone is looking at her before continuing. “I am personally against all of you coming with us – you lack experience both in general and in this specific type of mission. Romanoff is the only exception and there is too much risk of personal prejudices for an unbiased mission.

“Risk of bias is already something of a danger with Barnes and Raymond which is why I’m accompanying them. Obviously adding more people on what will hopefully only be surveillance is a foolish idea in itself so bringing a group styled towards flash is completely moronic.” She raises her voice on the end of the sentence so the other two can hear her.

“We’re going to land at an old HYDRA base that hasn’t been in use for quite a few years. Meeting us will be Yelena Belova: a fairly untrustworthy friend of Barnes’s.”

Romanoff stands up angrily and almost without control, she sits down again almost immediately but keeps a focused glare on Peggy.

Peggy smiles shortly before continuing. “Due to personal preference and an understandable suspicion he is the only one she talks to reliably. This is obviously deeply irritating but not particularly detrimental.

“The man we will be looking out for is named Johann Schmidt aka The Red Skull. Our intelligence on him is limited. He’s an ‘ex’-Nazi and one-time leader of HYDRA. He should be dead – of old age if nothing else – but he’s a…” she drags a hand down her face and sighs, “A self-styled ‘super soldier’, luckily as far as we know he’s the only one.

“He should also have died more recently from being shot twice in the head and set on fire immediately after – the fact that he apparently _isn’t_ should give you an idea of what we’re dealing with.

“You will follow orders from us at all times. I am the superior officer, then Barnes and then Raymond. If any of you are sighted by Schmidt you are to immediately retreat and warn us. Com silence whenever possible.”

She glares around at them one more time then turns swiftly and stalks back to the cockpit.

“Barnes. Out.” She says sharply.

He shakes his head once. “I’d rather fly.”

“Out.” She snaps fiercely, and trying not to let her surprise through; she has never heard him defy a direct order before. “You need to rest before we get there. We’ll need you on good form for talking to Belova.”

He levers himself out of the seat and looks her. He isn’t glaring like she expected; his eyes, instead, are glassy and unfocussed.

“Rest.” She repeats while glancing at Raymond. He shakes his head and stares forward.

Barnes leaves.

/

Clint watches as Agent Barnes comes back out and walks quickly over to one of the empty seats. He balls up a coat for a pillow and closes his eyes.

Clint can be slow but he’s no fool. He knows why Steve’s gotten so antsy since being introduced to him. Re-introduced.

He remembers Bucky Bear too. Not that he’d admit to keeping those old memories as close to his heart as he does.

Clint remembers most things. It’s a useful skill, just not the one people think of him for.

Right now he can’t bring himself to care about Steve’s drama. Natasha hasn’t explained who Yelena Belova is to her and he can’t stop thinking about it.

Natasha never talks about her past.

/

Bruce is scared.

He needs to talk to one of the superior agents but two of them are flying and the third is asleep. He should wake him up; Bruce knows he should but…

But nothing. He stands up and walks over to Agent Barnes.

He sits down in the empty seat next to Barnes and gathers his courage. Like most of his teammates there are parts of his history he did not tell SHIELD.

Barnes opens an eye just as he is moving to prod him awake. For a moment neither of them speaks.

“Assistant Director Carter said that Schmidt is a ‘super soldier.’” Bruce starts nervously.

Barnes nods. “He’s the only one who calls him that though.” He doesn’t sound the slightest bit tired.

“Yeah,” Bruce licks his lips, “It’s just that the first time I was adopted by – ah – General Ross,” he closes his eyes and wills himself braver. “He had files on a super soldier serum. It’s what turned me into the Hulk.”

Barnes stares at him. “You’re sure?”

Bruce smiles thinly, “It’s not the sort of thing you forget.”

Barnes swears under his breath, “Who else knows? I take it you haven’t told SHIELD officially.”

Bruce shakes his head. “I haven’t told anyone before. And I doubt Ross shared what he was working on.”

“Tell me about him?”

“I wasn’t there for very long. I don’t remember much.” Barnes stays silent. “He was angry a lot of the time. He loved Betty – his daughter – but I don’t know why he adopted me. I think he was retired but I’m not certain. He was obsessed with work; with the formula.”

“What happened to Betty?”

“The formula hit her as well. I got the brunt but she was affected as well. She’s in a medically induced coma at the moment. Ross authorized it.”

“Is he in prison?”

“No.” Bruce spits; his face twisting, “Apparently that sort of negligence with dangerous government projects isn’t actually illegal.”

Barnes nods, “Why didn’t you tell SHIELD?” He raises a hand to forestall Bruce’s answer, “I could understand if he was locked up but if he’s still a danger…?”

“I didn’t think he was a danger. He lost all his work and the formula doesn’t work anyway.”

“If Schmidt’s anything to go by it never did. But how did he get hold of it?”

Bruce shrugs, “It might be a different thing under the same name.” He asks hopefully.

“Unlikely. The project originated in world war two; from what we’ve guessed Schmidt was the one who originally started it but his other test subjects died. After he…err…’succeeded’ anything could have happened to the documents.”

“Is there anything I should do?”

Barnes shrugs again. “Do you have something that can kill you?”

Bruce chokes. Barnes waits, unmoving, until he’s under control.

“I mean,” He says sternly, “Do you have any ideas of something that can counteract the serum?”

Bruce shakes his head, “Nothing that’s ever worked.”


	9. Chapter 9

It’s summer in Russia.

Yelena is waiting impatiently outside the strip when the plane lands. She ignores everyone except Peggy and Bucky.

Toro waves the avengers to follow him inside and leaves them to talk.

“<Tell me why he is so dangerous.>”

In all the time he’s known her, Bucky has never heard Yelena swap greetings.

“<Have you ever heard of the Red Skull?>”

“<A legend from the Great War. An honour then, a nightmare now.>”

“<An honour?>” Peggy checks. Yelena doesn’t look at her.

“<A great man.>” She laughs bitterly. “<He founded HYDRA.>”

“<And the Red Room?>”

“<I do not know how it started. None of the survivors do.>” She falls silent. Bucky thinks her eyes would be wet if he looked.

“<Peggy, can you go and check on the others?>”

She nods and leaves. Bucky waits until she’s a few metres away before continuing the conversation.

“<You should try and get along with her.>”

“<I don’t like Americans.>”

“<I’m American.>” He sighs.

“<You make an acceptable Russian.>” She smiles. It is the softest expression he’s ever seen on her. “<Schmidt is the Skull?>”

“<Yes. Do you understand why I’m scared?>”

“<You’ve met him before? Yes I understand.>”

“<He helped make us.>”

They are both quiet. Yelena leads him over to the edge of the base. There’s a grey van stalling outside.

They watch it for a moment; there’s a gunshot bang and Bucky realises the gun in his hand just as the tyre blows.

The thrumming engine cuts out and in the following silence the sound of a door slamming open is behind them echoes loud.

“<You make a good Russian.>” Yelena smiles.

There’s a flurry of movement behind them. Peggy choreographs a pat on the arm. Toro lands and de-flames behind the van.

“Are you alright?” He says.

“<Russian!>” Bucky and Yelena snap at the same time.

“<Are you alright?>” He repeats half-fondly; the worry gone from his face.

“<We’re fine. Is anyone in the car?>”

“<Looks empty.>” He shakes his head. Ash flutters to the ground.

Yelena howls into the sky and runs back to the building. Bucky spins and chases after her, only slightly aware of Romanoff following him.

/

Natasha chases Barnes without thinking. She hasn’t known what to do or think since hearing Yelena’s name and still she doesn’t know what’s going on.

Only that she is lost in Russia again. In the cold sunbeams, in a building identical to every one she ever lived in as a child. Only that one of her sister’s is a few small metres away and neither of them can look the other in the eye.

When they had heard the echo of a gunshot all of them, led by Raymond and Carter, ran to see what was happening.

An empty car with a shot out wheel. Her old sister and her new trainer standing too close; both shaking, white faced, ghosts of an old world.

She follows them inside the building, up two flights of stairs, and across a hallway to an empty room.

There are wires hanging out of a hole in the wall, an old fashioned phone lying on its side and Yelena panting in a ball on the floor.

Barnes stands by the doorframe, he’s dropped his gun somewhere between there and here, and he’s still shaking.

Natasha stands in the hallway unsure of her welcome.

Barnes turns around. His face is white as he gestures her closer. “<Stay with her.>” He whispers in slow Russian.

She steps closer into the room and bends down next to Yelena. There’s nothing she can think of to say.

/

The Avengers mill around the dead van. With both Barnes and Belova both gone there is no one left to explain what happened.

Carter refuses to let them close but no one orders them inside so they stay.

Raymond groans, deeply, and stands up from where he’s been looking at the engine. “Fuck it. Let’s go in; this isn’t telling us anything.”

“You’ll go down to the site tomorrow?” Carter half-asks, half-orders him, gesturing them all away from the vehicle.

“I’d rather look for Schmidt, honestly.”

“Tough. We’ve been trying to get you two down there for years.”

Bruce nudges Tony, distracting him from the agent’s conversation. “Do you speak Russian?”

“Only the swears.” He considers this for a moment, “I can learn though.”

“Learn quickly.”

“Nat can translate.” He smirks.

“She might be ‘emotionally compromised’ remember?”

“It’s _Natasha_.” Tony says testily. “Now shut up; I want to listen.”

Bruce rolls his eyes and walks over to Clint and Steve to check their linguistic knowledge.

“Some basic instructions, yeah.” Clint says. Steve just shakes his head.

“Do you think Natasha’s ok?” Bruce asks Clint after waiting a moment to see if Steve was going to speak.

“To be honest,” Clint says, falling back behind Steve with a worried expression, “I don’t think she’s the one we need to worry about.”

/

Toro finally catches up with Bucky the next morning. Yelena and Romanoff are travelling down to the bomb site with them. The inside of the rusty pick-up is silent the whole journey.

“Are you avoiding me?” Toro asks once they’re out.

“<Russian please?>” Bucky sighs and kneels at a patch of stone, “<No. I’m scared.>”

“<Well we’ve been avoiding coming here for five years. We’ve had time to work ourselves insane.>”

“<I feel like a ghost.>”

“<You’re more superstitious in Russia. How did your talk with Rogers go?>”

“<I hate you. He hates me.>”

“<Less than brilliantly then.>” He sits down next to his partner and taps the stone. “<Is this natural?>”

“<It’s a paving slab.>” Romanoff is standing above them, one eyebrow cocked curiously.

“<Sit down with us agent.>” Toro says cheerfully, “<It feels soft.>”

“<What happened here?”

“<A truly disappointing event.>” Bucky says grumpily.

“<We survived.>” Toro clarifies. “<I’m going to try and dig this up.>”

“<Why disappointing?>”

“<You’ve never wanted to die?>” Bucky grumps, standing and beginning to walk to a different patch of land. Natasha follows him hastily.

“<Never.>” She lies. “<How do you know Yelena?>”

“<We helped her stop a reprisal of the Red Room.>”

“<When? When was this?” SHIELD said they would keep me up to date with – >”

“<It wasn’t with SHIELD. We were still HYDRA then.>”

“<Were they not allies?>”

“<Something like that.>” He shrugs and tugs on a weed.

“<What does SHIELD want you here for?>” Yelena asks loudly.

“<Most agents can’t get close.>” Bucky answers.

“<The smell?>” Romanoff asks.

“<Probably doesn’t help.>” Bucky shakes his head slowly. “<How’s your slab, Toro?>”

“<Shockingly stone like. Have you got anything?>”

“<A strong sense that we shouldn’t be here.>”

“<I have something.>” Yelena says unexpectedly.

“<Tell me it’s a pub.>” Toro mutters distractedly.

“<He doesn’t trust me.>” She tells Bucky matter-of-factly.

“<The feeling does appear mutual, Yelena.>” He smiles, “<What do you have? And keep in mind that a pub _would_ be quite welcome. >”

“<There is a marking on this pebble.>”

Bucky, Toro and, surprisingly, Romanoff look sceptically at her.

“<It’s not that stupid octopus, is it?>” Toro says half-hoping, half-dreading.

“<No.>”

They wait.

“<Yelena.>” Bucky says tiredly, “<The sooner we have something, the sooner we can go.>”

<I do not want to go.>”

Bucky considers this, and then nods.

“Go for help Toro. Do you have weapons, Agent?”

“Of course.” Offended; a proper Widow. Toro flies off.

“I do speak English you know.” Not-Yelena says amusedly.

“Not well if you’re inhabiting that body.” Bucky says coldly, “And I speak Russian here out of deference to my friend. I won’t bother with you.”

“We were friends once Soldier. We were good friends.”

“Agent, behind me. Stay close.”

Natasha swallows and obeys.

“I was surprised to see you bring a new team, Soldier. I wouldn’t have thought you’d want to fail again.”

Bucky doesn’t speak. He isn’t holding any weapons.

“Unless this is a show of loyalty to HYDRA?” Not-Yelena asks mockingly, “Are you returning your allegiance to me?”

“I’ve a sudden urge to say something horribly cliché.”

Yelena’s mouth twists into a smirk. It doesn’t even look out of place.

“Do indulge.”

“You first. Shouldn’t you be telling me your evil plan?”

“What evil plan? I’m bringing my empire back, that is all.”

“Oh yes, HYDRA was never evil was it?” Bucky says sardonically. “A peace keeping organisation.”

“Exactly like your dear SHIELD, yes.”

“I was far more loyal to the army than I ever will be to SHIELD, Skull.”

“But you are not in the army any more _Soldier_. We stripped you of that, do you not remember?”

“Do me a favour and shoot his hand agent.”

Not-Yelena – The Red Skull – laughs.

Natasha levels her gun and prepares to shoot. Bucky closes his hand over the shaft and forces it down.

“Back with us?”

“<In Russian please. That was a foolish risk.>”

Bucky shrugs, “<He came out.>”

“<You knew he was here?>” Natasha shouts, outraged.

“<Not knew, Spider.>” Yelena says quietly, “Only hoped.”

/

“<THAT WAS THE MOST POINTLESS, RECKLESS, FOOLISH THING YOU COULD HAVE DONE! AND WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU GAIN FROM IT?>”

Yelena winces, “<At least she is speaking a proper language.>”

“I’ll gladly stop if it means you’ll listen.” She growls harshly. “And what were you thinking bringing this child with you?”

Romanoff looks furious but doesn’t say anything. Yelena has no such compunctions.

“<She is a Black Widow. She is not a child.>”

“I don’t think you can use you ‘special beginnings’ to account for adulthood Belova; this plan could have been made by a toddler!”

Yelena reels back; a hurt look on her face.

“<With respect, Assistant Director,” Toro says; as harshly as anything Peggy has said. “<You and Fury have been trying to get us down there for three years. If you had something you wanted us to do there you had plenty of time to suggest it. And we took Agent Romanoff because this is her battle as well. It isn’t yours.>”

“<And we gained quite a bit.>” Bucky says sourly, although there’s pride in his eyes when he looks at Toro. “<He isn’t strong, he doesn’t have any new technology, he’s angry we got out – angrier than he should be, he isn’t nearly as insane as I’d hoped and he doesn’t know how we survived either. That’s more than we had this morning.>”

“<Not enough.>” She snaps, slamming the door open and leaving. The avengers rush in from the outside.

“<That could have gone worse.>” Bucky breathes out.

“<Or much better. And she’s right; we didn’t get that much out of him.>”

“<Mm. I dislike not knowing what happened. Anyway if I hadn’t reacted he might have gotten suspicious.>”

“You know we can hear you, right?” Stark asks loudly.

“<Yes.>” They say in tandem.

“She is angrier than you said she would be.” Yelena says softly. In English. “You do not need to be kind to me.”

“<You deserve kindness Yelena.>”

“And you deserve a life far away from this place. I can accommodate your language.”

“That’s a relief.” Stark says rudely, “I haven’t learnt some of the words you use.”

Romanoff punches him.


	10. Chapter 10

“You may as well start training them.” Carter snaps to Bucky and Toro during breakfast the next day. “If we have nothing else to do here.”

“Mm-hmm.” Bucky nods, easily ignoring the tension in the room. “And we need information for a General – ah –” he looks to Banner.

“Thaddeus Ross.” Bruce says quietly.

Carter looks between the two of them briefly and sighs. “Fine.” She leaves the room.

As soon as the door closes Toro throws his fork at Bucky. “Stop antagonising her!”

“I’m not.” He says, snatching the fork out of the air, “I’m going about things exactly as I would if yesterday hadn’t happened.”

“Yes. But you’re supposed to act contrite after incidents like that.”

“I’m not contrite.”

“You’re useless, is what you are.” Toro rolls his eyes.

“There’s a courtyard.” Yelena says quietly, the English words stilted in her voice, “I can play the villain if you want.”

“Sure.” Bucky says cheerfully, “You lot have to take out Yelena.”

“One person?” Stark says mockingly.

“We’ll work our way up to three.” Toro says. “Maybe four if Carter wants to join in.”

“You’ve fifteen minutes to get ready.” Bucky says.

“Shouldn’t we get a briefing?” Barton asks.

“Ok. If you want.” Bucky says, standing and collecting everyone’s plates. “Do you want to go and set up Yelena?”

She leaves, smirking. Bucky and Toro silently consider what to tell the team.

“SHIELD information on Yelena Belova is minimal. She’s a tentative ally and we don’t need to anger her by digging too deep. Therefore the information you have is this: she is the last fully trained Black Widow; product of the red room – unknown training procedures.”

Toro picks up, “You have been chosen for this mission because of Agent Romanoff. As you were trained to become a Black Widow you have insights into Belova’s training that the rest of SHIELD lacks.”

“She is an enhanced human – the most traditional elements only; speed, healing and foresight.” Bucky finishes. “You have eight minutes left to prepare and find the courtyard. Go.”

/

Natasha reels in her seat. The pretend mission is a little too much like her childhood. She is already prepared for battle but she was unprepared for her past to be scattered in front of her team like it was nothing.

She stands jerkily and schools her face. From the higher agents’ expressions she doesn’t think it works. The other Avengers, at least, have the curtesy to pretend otherwise.

“We should gather weapons. You shouldn’t underestimate her.” She hears her voice as though through a long tunnel.

The other scramble up and after her.

“So are you not a real Black Widow?” Tony says.

“No.”

“Because they said become and –”

“My training was never completed. I earned my title later.” She feels as though she is stripping herself naked for them. This is private.

“And you’re not the only one.” Tony sounds gleeful, “How many are there?”

“Two. The courtyard’s down here. I’ll wait while you get ready.”

Tony opens his mouth, presumably to ask more questions, but Steve yanks his arm and pulls him away. Clint follows them.

Bruce smiles softly at her. “I won’t ask if you don’t want me to.”

“Good.”

“Ross was my first foster parent.” He says quietly a moment later.

She freezes, “If you’re trying to exchange information –

“I’m not. Well mostly – I figure that you’ve already given us a secret, I can at least give you one of mine.”

She breathes out. “I already know about Ross. I know all your pasts.”

“I didn’t tell SHIELD everything.”

“Barnes knew?”

“I told him on the plane ride. Ross wanted to become a super soldier; I thought I should say something before it came out some other way.”

“You’re probably their favourite then.”

Bruce laughs. “What happened yesterday?”

She shakes her head, “I don’t know. Something planned apparently.”

Clint jogs up to them. “Steve and Tony are still bickering.”

“We’ve only got a minute left of the time they gave us.” Bruce says worriedly, “Do you think it’s important?”

“Nah –”

“Yes.” Natasha says confidently.

“Forty seconds.” Bruce says.

“Thirty-nine.” Clint teases.

“Thirty-eight.”

“Thirty-seven.”

“Thirty-six.”

“Thirty –”

“SHUT UP!” Natasha shouts at them, just as Steve comes hurrying down the corridor, Tony clunking behind him.

“Oooh!” Tony sings. “Are we ready?”

“Because you’ve been waiting absolutely ages.” Bruce says under his breath. Natasha thinks she might be the only one to have heard him. She smiles lightly.

/

The training battle goes fairly well, up until they call for backup and Don isn’t there. Because Don is on Asgard.

After that Yelena, with the assistance of some old repaired traps, tramples them.

“They’re complacent with their power.” Toro says. “But they are good.”

“Mm.” Bucky agrees.

“Gods, you’re annoying when you’re bored.”

“I’m not bored. I’m worried.”

“And very dull. What would you score them?”

Bucky considers it for a moment. “From here a S.H.I.E.L.D 8 and a HYDRA 5. But I’ll need to assess their injuries to be sure.”

“You’ve got to stop judging people by HYDRA standards.”

“It gives us a good idea of what Skull will think of them.”

“Sure. Speaking of Skull, you seem preoccupied.”

“We should go and check them over.” He shakes off Toro’s hand, “We can talk about it later.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

/

Clint’s really stressed out with checking up on everyone. He isn’t sure when he became the mother hen of the team; although he suspects that it started when Agent Barnes was introduced.

What with Steve’s angst and Natasha’s murky past there was barely time to worry about Tony’s panic attacks and if Don would ever come home.

Bruce is, for the first time in their acquaintance, his favourite teammate to hang out with.

“That was fairly humiliating.” Bruce sighs as he comes to for the third time. They had managed to deal with one pretend villain with fifteen minutes to prepare a trap but two had proved too many for them.

Agent Barnes had teamed up with Miss Belova because he had, according to Agent Raymond, more experience being evil. They hadn’t elaborated on that no matter how much Tony pestered.

Between the two of them the Avengers had faced a humiliating defeat.

Bruce looks up blearily, expecting to see Tony as usual, and being rather surprised to find Clint there instead.

“You didn’t miss much after you got knocked down.” Clint pauses and reconsiders. “Except Tony accidentally blasting Nat and her subsequent betrayal. They were really pissed about that.”

“For…unrealistic actions?” Bruce guesses. Clint shoots finger guns at him and nods.

“Yeah, though to be honest, I keep expecting everyone to leave.” He grimaces. “That was supposed to be a joke.”

“I’ve heard funnier.” Bruce says softly, “Do you want to leave?”

“No. I – I thought you weren’t that sort of doctor.”

“I’m not and I’m not trying to be. I just want to know if I should expect there to be even fewer of us.”

“You’re not going then?” Clint tries not to let too much relief seep through. From Banner’s expression he doesn’t think it works.

“No. I don’t know where I’d go; without the Avengers the only place for me is a cell.”

“Sounds like you need your own doctor.”

Bruce ignores the joke and holds eye contact until Clint breaks it and sighs.

“I don’t know what I’d do either.”

/

Toro's really worried about Bucky. Which was why this had seemed like a good idea; going to the site because the confrontation with Skull had shaken him far worse than they’d planned.

Toro has suspected for a while now that Bucky hadn’t lost as many memories as he said he had. There were times – things he said, things he didn’t say, but mostly it was the way he froze when someone called him ‘soldier’.

So, clearly going down to the site alone was the thing to do. If you were an idiot, of course. Toro knew it was an idiot-only idea because Yelena was sitting next to him in the car telling him so.

Toro thinks this is a bit rich considering that she was doing the exact same thing because she had a ‘hunch’. She wouldn’t say what about. Privately he thinks that she's just as worried about Bucky as he is.

/

It only takes four hours before it becomes apparent that Toro and Yelena have vanished.


	11. Chapter 11

Toro had established almost a year ago, if only to himself, that he remembered nothing from his time at HYDRA.

His body, on the other hand, remembered everything.

That was why, while the cell he was currently in may as well have been Mars for all he knows of it, his hands find the weak spots in the infrastructure without his request. Not remembering anything doesn’t mean he can’t extrapolate from other experiences; he knows, for instance, that Bucky recognises every barb Skull had levelled at him whereas he himself had barely understood them.

This was obviously a situation he’d been in before, under HYDRA’s control, so this had to be a test. Which means that there was really very little point in escaping. Being useless was just as much use as being skilled.

Namor taught him that. A long time ago; before the army. People sought Namor out even though he never helped. He had been useful and pointless at the same time.

Toro had joined the army as soon as he turned of age as penance. He could no longer remember what he had been taking penance for. He knows he didn’t find it; the army was far too good for him to count as penance.

The first thing he learnt as a soldier was that anything he could compare war to would not be enough and that he should not bother.

The last thing he learnt before he was declared MIA was that there was no guarantee he was one of the heroes.

Toro takes his fingers off the wall and sits back down.

/

Yelena wakes up facing three things. A hole, a knife and an unlocked door. She could almost laugh at how old the test was, except that she couldn’t – being bound and gagged made it tricky.

That was easy to escape from, of course, whoever did it had made no great effort to secure her. That wasn’t the point.

The test scares her. This was an early, easy test for little girls who didn’t yet know their own strength. Some, of course, never would.

If she was being tested a second time on something this easy then HYDRA surely didn’t see her as a threat. In their eyes she was still a child, and always would be.

Holding tight to the knife she ignores the door and jumps into the hole.

/

Toro considers the fairly fruitless hope that Bucky will not come looking for him and Belova.

He might not of course. Because Bucky could be kind when he wanted to and it would be a kindness, right now, to allow all of HYDRA’s prisoners a way out.

But whether or not his friend comes for him he will most definitely come for Johann Schmidt.

And whatever it is they deserve, him and Bucky and Yelena and even Romanoff after a fashion, whether or not they end up being the good guys or the bad, they will always have to fight him.

There is no other option.

/

The tunnels under the base aren’t unused or unconquered. They are, however, very difficult to traverse on a broken leg.

The pits were HYDRA’s personal hell. She’d never been here before; she had been a good soldier. She wishes Raymond or Barnes were with her; she can’t imagine either of them being good at obedience.

Raymond is somewhere in the building’s mass. Barnes would arrive sooner or later. HYDRA has nothing left to scare any of them with.

She believed James when he said that The Red Skull didn’t have any new tricks yet. She also believed, fully, that they could beat him a second, third, fourth, fifth time just as long as he didn’t come up with anything new.

She wonders how long it would take SHIELD to work it out.

/

Bucky wakes Agent Romanoff up when he first notices the grey van’s absence. He considers asking Steve as well; he wants to – that part of him that craves a return of innocence at any rate but he has more sensible, less painful sides to call upon.

This isn’t Steve’s battle any more than it is SHIELD’s or the Avenger’s.

Romanoff follows him quietly and without question. He knew she would, just as he knew she would obey when he told her not to bring weapons. He doesn’t ask when she worked it out even though it’s the only thing currently on his mind.

/

Leaving her weapons behind feels like a betrayal of self but this man is her commander. She can’t disobey.

Being back in Russia has reawakened old memories. Not memories that she’d forgotten or repressed but ones that she had outlived.

The fall of the Red Room was not something she had ever had any intention of going back to. The deaths of all her sisters.

The final graduation.

The Winter Soldier.

/

The alarm system goes off exactly twenty minutes after Toro had predicted it would. He recognises the buzzing bring somewhere deep in his bones. It hurts.

A fairly predictable trick; to make the act of rebellion painful even before they were caught.

He lights up. He always thinks better when the air’s smoky. And it will provide a slight cover for when Bucky gets in.


	12. Chapter 12

Peggy can’t bring herself to be too surprised at the disappearance of the three Russians and the whatever-Raymond-was-identifying-as-this-year.

She’s still pissed as hell though.

She isn’t responsible for any of them; even Romanoff – still only a junior agent – is here for different reasons to her team. Her team who seemingly know nothing of anything that had gone on here –

Peggy cannot quite fathom such a level of mistrust in someone so young. She, herself, is by no means a trusting person but working with Nick had shown her just how well-adjusted she is. Working with Barnes and Raymond on the other hand has shown her how easy it is to act well-adjusted.

Over seventy percent of SHIELD employees worked in the army at some point or another and they all have stories to share about it.

The same dull stories about mud and tiredness and killing and loneliness. Peggy hates it.

When she first got stuck looking after Barnes and Raymond she had been relieved to find that they had none of these clichés to share – they never spoke of the army, just as they never spoke of their time in Russia.

The novelty had worn off after only a few missions, replacing itself automatically with an odd fondness and a bone-deep worry about their silences.

/

Three quarters of the way into their journey Agent Barnes detaches his left arm and throws it into a bush, then turns to Natasha and says coldly,

“I know you’ve worked out who I am so I know you’ll agree to this. If at any point I show any signs of reverting into their puppet again you shoot me in the head. And make sure it sticks.”

She nods but holds back her voice. She knows her duty to her country but, much like her friend Don, she no longer knows which country is hers.

/

The Avengers react badly to the new mission. They’ve faced gods and monsters but humanity is crueller than either and harder to kill to boot.

The only one who seems unable to rouse himself into worry for their foes is Captain America. She doesn’t ask why; she has a feeling she should already know.

/

Natasha worries her lip; trying to work out the best way to bring up her last night in Russia and her, admittedly quite blurry, memories of the Winter Soldier. She wasn’t sure how much needed to be said but she did want to thank him.

The night that the Red Room fell Yelena, being the eldest of the eight girls, had come to fetch Natasha and the other six; she had woken them up with the news of a surprise test – not a new idea or something anyone had considered unusual.

It had been clear once they had gotten moving that it wasn’t the usual sort of test; the explosions riddling the building saw to that illusion. The fact that Yelena was taking orders from a man shooting all their trainers in the head was a bit of a giveaway too.

However some of the other girls didn’t get that memo and tried to help the masters. They got shot for their trouble due to the trainers being all too willing to use them as shields.

Natasha had been smuggled out through the worker tunnels. Until last week she had assumed that she had been the only one to survive.

As for the Winter Soldier she had had the knowledge it was him since the night in question but had not put any thought to it until today; despite leaving the Room, her sisters and Russia behind and trying to replace her loyalties for America and SHIELD she had still been unwilling to betray her saviours of that night.

Agent Barnes’ silence didn’t invite thanks though and despite how hard she wished to she remained silent.

/

Yelena hauls herself up a service hatch and waits for a lackey to turn up so she can get some information.

The alarms were still blaring but no one came. Skull had either employed only people with 100% loyalty – unlikely – or they were all already dead, or he hadn’t employed anyone at all.

She couldn’t guess which of the latter – incompetence or stupidity – was more likely. Skull was arrogant, certainly, but not stupid. Not in any experience or story from her friends.

Unless he had truly died and then come back with some sort of defect? No, she shakes her head forcibly; the pain must be getting to her for her mind to come up with something so foolish.

She cannot wait for assistance any longer; remaining in one place is dangerous in safety let alone moments like this. She would find Raymond and together they would either escape or battle – his state of injury would determine which.

If their captors had any sense at all Raymond would be held somewhere near water – she knew from previous experience that there was a block of cells with weak structure beneath a massive water tank specifically for those with enough  strength to pull down a wall. She’d go there first.

/

Peggy growls lowly as she leads the young superheroes over the land. They walk in silence; the first few conversations being halted as soon as they spread to her ears.

She’s furious with – well with everyone involved really – but mostly herself and Nicholas as they both should have known better than to allow the two agents their silence.

She’s going to haul herself over hot coals for this – for the very idea that any SHIELD agent may at any time not be hiding some part of themselves. No one’s file is complete. Even Nicholas doesn’t know everything about everyone.

They’re close to the bomb site now. She’s never been down there before; the stink is incredible but the sight is so remarkably average that for a moment she thinks they are in the wrong place. But there’s the grey van lying on its side and there’s a large hole nearby it.

/

Bucky fights the burning in his mind as the dark tunnels under the bomb site bring back more memories than he could prepare for.

Being ambushed – being tested – so many of his men failing the tests – the nine of them remaining – the blank look in his friend’s eyes – meeting Strucker – meeting Schmidt – his arm being torn away – Toro being tortured – Toro lighting up for the first time – experiments – nothing happening to them – Schmidt smiling at him – calling him a good soldier – a gun in his hands – the gun going off –

He focuses on Romanoff’s quiet puffing breaths behind him lest he’s overwhelmed.

She’s scared; he thinks. But he doesn’t know what to do with fear. He’s been ignoring how many people are frightened of him these days and repressing the memories of how much fear the Winter Soldier inspired in people.

Her fear is different. She’s still following him like he’s her leader – which is ridiculous because now she recognises him she should know better than to think SHIELD would approve his training her and her friends.

The tunnels are pitch dark but familiar feeling nonetheless. He wishes, for far from the first time, that he had two whole arms; one to keep hold of his gun and one to feel the wall.

“It’s loud.” Romanoff says, fairly pointlessly, but he can understand that impulse. And she’s right; the alarms are mainly ahead of them and still overwhelmingly loud.

He hesitates, sudden uncertainty washing over him. “Does it hurt?”

“It is just noise.” But her accent is more pronounced than usual so he thinks she’s probably lying.

“Do you still want to be here?” He had forgotten that he was supposed to protect her.

“It is just noise.” She repeats stubbornly and strides on ahead of him before halting, unsure of where they are heading.

He smiles a little and catches her up. He wants to warn her to run – to escape; but cannot, though whether from cowardice or brainwashing he can’t say.

It’s harder than it should be to fight the brainwashing; to fight the sweet voice in his head whispering to him to come home, to;

_“Come home, Soldier, home to a place where none of your mistakes matter; because you made none, here you were perfect and more wanted more than anyone could compete with. Come home.”_

The voice was clearer than it should be, clearer than it had any right to be unless – oh.

As they round the corner the scene becomes clear to him. Even in the dark, dim shadows, the red of Schmidt’s head still gleams clearly.

By his feet is Yelena; slumped unconscious and wet. In a strangle hold against the wall is Toro; utterly soaked and shivering, face defeated.

Behind them, a massive army of men and women in green and yellow jumpsuits stand, hands poised on their weapons.

Skull sees them and smiles; in his grip Toro turns faintly blue from pressure.

“HAIL HYDRA!” The cry ripples through the troops.

Bucky grimaces and moves in the vain hope he can shield Natasha from the danger.

Skull laughs at his instinct. “Do you want her protected, my pet?” He releases Toro, who slides to the floor gasping and futilely twitching his fingers in the hope of fire, and opens his arms wide to Bucky.

“I will protect all your friends if you return to me.” He stomps, hard, on Toro’s fingers to prevent the twitching and does a mocking approximation of a kindly smile.

“Just think Soldier, how pleased everyone will be to have you amongst our ranks again. Troops!” He calls out to his army, “This is the Winter Soldier!”

A low muttering sweeps through the assembled army like a Mexican wave. In the opening to the tunnel hallway the sound of running stops and Assistant Director Peggy Carter gasps.

“Hail Hydra!” Skull says quietly but nonetheless ringing and is echoed by the large army behind him.

/

The Red Skull – a legendary figure – Natasha thinks stupidly as she watches from her position of somewhat safety. If she were a true daughter of the Red Room this would be an honour – at the very least she should be focussing on him and not on the slight shake of Agent Barnes’ shoulders.

He’s afraid. She’s terrified.

“Come home, pet,” Skull looms forward, arms still wide in a parody of welcome, and kicks Yelena out of his way harshly; snapping Agent Barnes out of his fearful state to move his gun up and pointing straight at Schmidt’s gleaming head.

Natasha remembers his words outside and fingers her own weapon warily.

“Come _home_ Soldier. You are _forgiven._ ” Schmidt repeats forcibly.

And Barnes stills, freezes in place; gun hand still pointing clearly at the Skull. But in the second she takes to turn and check her on her teammates it has switched to point at Agent Carter.

She raises her own gun and shoots.

The bang reverberates through the tunnel and Natasha sees the life return to Barnes’ face and barely has time to regret her decision before he ducks and the bullet sails past him and into Schmidt’s neck.

She wonders if this was planned in advance as well. It is no surprise to her that this thought is admiring instead of bitter.

Behind her the Avengers and Carter shoot into action: all blasting, firing, slamming or smashing into the approaching army.

In front Raymond grabs Yelena and drags her out of the way, finally managing to summon up a small flame and drying them both off a little. With the sudden warmth Yelena wakes and the two exchange looks and, despite their current extensive injuries, join the others in battle.

Natasha ducks down and checks Barnes’ pulse. It’s solid and more surprisingly his eyes are open. She half-assists, half-drags him over to Skull’s body; the only part of the area the battalion are aiming to avoid.

Barnes smiles blearily and forces himself up to wrench – and Natasha gags as she realises his intention – Johann Schmidt’s head from its shoulders.

“I want to be sure.” He whispers groggily and with a slight lisp; she can see inside his mouth, where he has bitten a small hole in his tongue that is heavily bleeding.

He notices her looking. “I thought it might help me focus.”

/

Tony half trips on one of the few people they had managed to knock down and slams a force beam into the floor.

This army, unlike the Chitauri, are well coordinated, prepared for their arrival, entirely aware of their own replaceability and, most importantly; have the home advantage. The Avengers and allies are losing horribly.

Behind him the tunnel reverberates and Tony swallows in fear at the thought of a new adversary.

He relaxes in relief as lightning visibly cracks above him and a deafening voice echoes behind them.

“FORGIVE ME FRIENDS! HEIMDALL WAS RETICENT ABOUT PROVIDING ME A LIFT DOWN!”

Don – Thor – in full regalia had arrived.

His appearance prompts a welcome turn in the battle and soon they’re overpowering the opposition easily with a combination of Thor’s power and their renewed confidence in their own abilities.

“Huh. I can see where your arrogance came from now.” Raymond remarks off-handily to him.

Tony scoffs at him and laughs in exhilaration through his helmet.

/

Yelena fights back to back with Raymond, slowly manoeuvring the two of them closer to Natasha and James.

Raymond pushes her away and towards them. “<Go! You’re in worse shape than me anyway.>”

“<And you will not run out of bullets.>” She returns, smiling, happy to die here if she must and with a gained respect of his abilities.

Raymond laughs as he flies back over to the battle.

Yelena shoots a nearing HYDRA agent and ducks down to Natasha’s level.

“<How are you little sister? We have hardly had time to talk.>”

/

Natasha starts in surprise; only four days ago she had been in America and on top of the world, and only with the smallest of worries.

“<Do you also think us arrogant?>” She asks in lieu of an answer.

“<I think all Americans are arrogant.>” Yelena answers with a casual shrug and a smirk.

“<What about him?>” She says, angling her head down to Barnes’ slumped but awake body, but keeping her eyes fixed on Yelena.

“<James is...>” She frowns, “<Different. I do not know.>”

“<The Winter Soldier.>” Natasha nods.

“<Yes. No.>” Yelena shakes her head. “<Do you remember that night, sister? Even at his most loyal he had more morals than I could hope for. Can you imagine how they would have punished him for that betrayal?>”

Natasha cannot and does not want to try. In front of them Barnes shudders.


	13. Epilogue

In the plane home, battered, bruised, bloodied but undeniably with higher skills than when they left, the Avengers return home to New York.

Steve leans tiredly against Bucky’s shoulder and tries desperately to stave of sleep. He and Bucky still haven’t properly spoken about everything between them but Steve’s unwanted anger had long left and they had plenty of time to truly catch up.

Beside Bucky Toro is slumped on his other arm. The metal appendage had been found safe in a bush and reattached. After Tony made a few adjustments.

Steve guessed that SI would be going into the business of prosthetics when they got home.

/

Bucky feels like he hasn’t been properly relaxed for twenty years – at least. Here, with Steve on one side and Toro on the other, with Yelena and Natasha (who he has become strongly attached to) in front of him smiling widely and _safe_. Here he is home. Here he is safe.

Carter drives the jet home. She’s still furious with everyone involved but it’s turned to a happy anger. The relief of living has overpowered everything else.

/

Yelena has not changed her views on America but she is changing those of Americans. These ‘Avengers’ are good men and worthy of her sister. Her last sister.

She smiles so widely at Natasha that her mouth hurts. She has not asked her question yet.

Because Yelena is not going to New York City to become an agent of SHIELD. She will stay their ally, of course, but she is going to try something different. And she has persuaded James and Thomas to help her.

She catches James’ eye and gathers her courage. He winks.

“<Natasha.” She whispers. “I am going to retire myself. You are _The_ Black Widow. >”

A wide, brilliant smile spreads across her face. “<Thank you, sister.>”

She is going to _live_.

/

Toro drifts off sleepily; happy and content. Carter was stunningly angry with them still but she had seen the sense in their new plan.

He, Buck and Yelena were going to live a semi-normal life and experience the world as something other than soldiers. They would continue as the Avengers’ handlers; after all that it seemed pointless to stop. But first they were going to find a home and live.

/

Natasha feels like dancing and singing and shouting for joy.

Until now she had not realised quite how desperately she had wanted this approval. How much she enjoys this life. She may not have been able to choose it but she wants it so damn much.

She is the only Black Widow but she still has a sister. How could she be anything but joyous.

/

The battle is over and Clint thinks – although he is mostly asleep at this point – that a longer war has been won as well.

Both theirs and the older agents.

He isn’t sure what is to become of everyone now but he hopes they all stay together. He is pretty certain that the Avengers will; with Don back everything seems assured.

But he hopes Barnes and Raymond, and maybe even Belova, he hopes they stick around to.

/

Bruce watches Clint doze off with a small smile on his face. He had been scared for his friend recently; scared of the responsibility he was heaping upon himself.

For his part, Bruce is relieved that in the end Ross had had nothing to do with this mess. He almost regrets telling SHIELD about it but it is a burden off his shoulders and perhaps his openness will end up preventing a different tragedy.

/

Tony clutches his phone tightly in his fist, a slow smile spreading over his face; they were going home! He had – enjoyed? – his time here but as he stepped onto the plane he had realised just how much he had been missing Pepper and Rhodey and JARVIS. Rhodey would be back at work by now but he could call as often as he needed and Pepper would be waiting on the helicarrier.

How had he ever thought he was alone?

/

Peggy rests her head back on the chair and smiles. Her anger is real – how could Barnes not mention that he was the Winter Soldier, of all the fool things – but her happiness is stronger.

No one died. Her ridiculous agents are looking more alive than she has ever known them. The Avengers have somehow strengthened as a team.

Yes, despite everything, this has been an ultimately good mission.

/

It had taken a while but he had finally convinced the All-Father of the sense of his idea. The progress would be slow but Midgard would soon be the Middle Realm again. Having all nine realms connected would bring a new age.

And Don could have the best of both worlds.


End file.
